Thunes, Alipay+ ease cross-border payments for Asian tourists in Paris

By Gloria Methri

Thunes has enabled hundreds of merchants in Paris to accept cross-border payments from 15 international e-wallets and mobile partners via Alipay+. This collaboration leverages the Thunes Global Network, enhancing convenience for Asian tourists in France as they enjoy the Summer Olympics.

The partnership allows an influx of Asian visitors to make seamless payments at electronics, luxury retail and duty-free stores in the Paris metropolitan area this summer. Over 1.5 billion Alipay+ users worldwide can make payments via 15 Asian and European Alipay+ e-wallets at retail stores leveraging Thunes’ Accept solution.

Supported wallets include Alipay (Chinese mainland), AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), MPay (Macao SAR; China), Touch ’n Go eWallet and MyPB by Public Bank Berhad (Malaysia), Hipay (Mongolia), GCash (Philippines), OCBC Digital and Changi Pay (Singapore), TrueMoney (Thailand), Tinaba (Italy), Bluecode (Germany and Austria), and Kakao Pay, Naver Pay, and Toss Pay (South Korea).

Chloe Mayenobé, President and Chief Operating Officer at Thunes, said, “Our collaboration with Alipay+ demonstrates our commitment to expanding payment options for merchants and improving convenience for global travellers. Welcoming them to the fully compliant Thunes Global Network ensures secure and efficient transactions, supporting our partner’s growth.”

Pietro Candela, General Manager of Europe for Alipay+, said, “With the world’s spotlight on Paris this summer, we are delighted to deepen our partnership with Thunes to extend the reach of Alipay+ in France. Our integration with Thunes’ network enables Asian tourists to use their preferred payment method at more world-class merchants in France, enhancing their travel experience to Europe.”

The collaboration between the two companies first began in 2022, when Thunes enabled Alipay+ for merchants in Europe, allowing them to accept cross-border payments from seven Asian e-wallets at checkout. Over the past two years, Thunes has rolled out Alipay+ acceptance to more European merchants as the number of Alipay-plus-supported e-wallets in Europe has increased, enhancing the tourism experience for international visitors.

Thunes offers Pay and Accept cross-border payment capabilities in over 130 countries and more than 80 currencies. Its global network provides direct, real-time connectivity to 7 billion digital wallets and bank accounts worldwide and access to over 330 alternative payment methods.